Pin for bowling and ninepins

ABSTRACT

A pin for bowling and ninepins, wherein the pin is comprised at least 50% by volume of polymeric material, and wherein the base of the pin is comprised at least substantially of wood.

The present invention relates to a pin for bowling or ninepins. Such pins presently comprise either predominantly polymeric material or wood. Pins in the context of this application are also so-called bowling pins.

Pins of polymeric material have a greater life expectancy than do pins of wood, since polymeric material has a greater resistance against the impacts of pin balls or bowling balls and from the other pins. Pins of polymeric material generally comprise an outer shell made of a harder polymeric material. The shell is generally foamed out with a cellular polymeric material.

To make the surface of a wooden pin more resistant, the wood core of a pin is coated with polymeric material. Only the base of the pin is comprised of uncoated wood.

The pins are placed upright in a predetermined number and arrangement at one end of the bowling or pin lane. The surface of the pin or bowling lane itself is generally made of wood or synthetic material. To ensure a uniform or constant condition of the surface of the lane, and a certain ability of the pin ball or bowling ball to roll or slide, the surface is provided with a film of maintaining and/or protecting liquids, especially with oils that are specially produced for this purpose. This results in particularly high requirements regarding the nature of the base of the pin. On the one hand, when the pin is placed upright upon the lane it must not leave the desired location, for example by sliding upon the liquid film. On the other hand, the pin should fall over if it is struck by the pin ball or bowling ball or by another pin. What is not desired is for the pin to merely slide laterally on the film without falling over. It has been shown that pins that are produced entirely or predominantly of wood satisfy these requirements. Their bases, as previously mentioned, are made of wood. It is very complicated to configure the base of a pin made of polymeric material in such a way that its characteristics resemble those of the base of a wooden pin, in particular with regard to its sliding characteristics on an oiled surface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pin that on the one hand has the durability and service life of a pin of polymeric material, and on the other hand acts like a wooden pin with regard to its stability on the pin or bowling lane.

This object is inventively realized in that the base of the pin of polymeric material is made of wood.

As a result of the invention, the possibility is given for combining the aforementioned advantages of a pin of polymeric material with the aforementioned advantageous characteristics of the base of a wooden pin. Where high resistance to impact is required, the pin is made of polymeric material. Nearly the entire body of the inventive pin is thus configured like a conventional pin of polymeric material. Only the base of the pin is made of wood.

This is achieved by making the base of the pin out of wood that is set into the pin, thus achieving a planar base. The edge or rim of the base of the pin is peripherally rounded off, with this rounding being formed by the exterior shape of the pin. This rounding off withstands the great stresses in this region of the pin better than does a sharp-edge rim. Such a configuration of the edge also enhances the desired tipping over when it is struck by a pin ball or bowling ball.

Pursuant to an advantageous embodiment, the wood has a ring that surrounds the wood. This ring is made of polymeric material and at the same time, forms the aforementioned rounded-off edge or rim of the bottom of the pin.

Further details of the invention will be explained subsequently with the aid of the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention and which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section through an inventive pin of polymeric material,

FIG. 2 is a plan view onto the base of a pin according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a special embodiment of the invention in the region of a pin orfpolymeric material,

FIG. 4 is a view as in FIG. 3 of a further inventive alternative.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section through a pin of polymeric material that is presently customarily used. The body of the pin 1 is comprised of two parts, namely the outer contour or shell 4 having a prescribed wall thickness, and a cellular polymeric material 5 with which the shell 4 is foamed out. The exterior closure of the flat base 2 is not sharp-edged, but rather is formed as a rounded edge 6. The base 2 itself is not made of polymeric material but rather is essentially formed by the wood 3.

The base 2 has the diameter between A and B. It is to be understood that the wood 3′ could, however, also extend over the entire base 2, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 2 shows a view onto the base of a pin according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of a special embodiment of an inventive pin, and in particular of the lower region of the pin that is of particular interest.

The wood 3 that essentially forms the base 2 advantageously has a cylindrical shape with a round bottom surface. However, woods having other, in particular multi-cornered, bottom surface shapes could also be used. The wood 3 is peripherally surrounded by the ring 7.

The use of the ring 7 is particularly recommended if the production of the base 2 is to be affected only after the manufacture of the pin 1. For this purpose, during the manufacture of the pin 1 the space necessary in the region of the base for the wood 3 and the ring 7 is set aside.

However, it would also be possible to later mill the required space into the pin. It has been shown to be advantageous for the periphery of the recess to be slightly smaller than the outer periphery of the ring 7.

The ring 7 also forms the peripheral edge or rim 6 of the base 2. The edge is advantageously rounded and is externally flush with the outer shell 4 of the pin 1, thus preventing a possible hooking together with other pins.

The ring 7 is preferably made of a tough or hard polymeric material, and surrounds the periphery of the wood 3. The connection between wood 3 and ring 7 can on the one hand be established by extruding the ring 7 onto the wood 3 in a mold. However, it is also possible to later join the wood 3 and ring 7 together by pressing the wood 3 into the ring 7. In any case, the important thing is to establish the connection such that the wood cannot shift in the axial direction of the pin 1. For this purpose, the outer surface of the wood 3 is provided with recesses 10 into which the protrusions 9 of the ring 7 engage. It is to be understood that the recesses 10 could also be formed as one or more circumferential grooves.

The wood 3 has a (blind) hole 8 into which a tool, described in DE 203 08 993.6 can be introduced for the cleaning of the pin. In particular during handling of the pin, not only radial but also axial forces act upon the pin 1. It must be ensured that the wood 3 cannot move out of the pin 1.

As already mentioned, it is advantageous to make the recess in the region of the base of the pin 1 slightly smaller if the wood 3 is to be introduced along with the ring 7 into the pin 1 after manufacture of the actual pin body. The ring 7 is thus firmly surrounded by the shell 4 and the polymeric material 5 after being pressed into the pin body, thus counteracting a loosening of the ring 7 out of the pin 1. The polymeric material 5 is not as hard as, and thus is more resilient than, the shell 4 of the pin 1 and the material of the ring 7. If during the manufacture of the pin 1 the ring 7 is pressed into the polymeric material 5, the polymeric material 5 adapts to the outer shape or contour of the ring 7. To lastingly counteract a loosening of the ring 7 out of the pin 1, it is advisable to provide the ring 7 with projections 11 in the region of the polymeric material 5. It is particularly advantageous for the projections 11 to have a saw-toothed shape and to radially surround the ring 7.

In FIG. 4, the significant base region of a further embodiment of an inventive pin is illustrated. As can be seen, pursuant to the invention, the ring 7′ could also have a cup-shaped configuration, so then only that side of the wood 3 that is part of the base 2 remains uncovered by the ring 7′. The base of the “cup” is designated by the reference numeral 12 in FIG. 4. 

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A pin for bowling and ninepins, wherein said pin is comprised at least 50% by volume of polymeric material, and wherein a base of said pin is comprised at least substantially of wood.
 11. A pin according to claim 10, wherein said wood is set into said base of said pin.
 12. A pin according to claim 11, wherein said wood has a cylindrical shape.
 13. A pin according to claim 12, wherein a ring radially surrounds said wood.
 14. A pin according to claim 13, wherein said ring has a cup-shaped configuration.
 15. A pin according to claim 13, wherein said ring forms an edge of said base.
 16. A pin according to claim 15, wherein said edge is rounded off.
 17. A pin according to claim 13, wherein said ring is provided with projections in the region of the polymeric material of said pin.
 18. A pin according to claim 17, wherein said projections have a saw-toothed configuration. 